Coil reel



Nov. 1, 1966 F. c. HOLMES 3,282,518

COIL REEL Filed D80. 1 1964 5 sheets-Sheet 1 F. C. HOLMES Nov. 1, 1966COIL REEL 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 11, 1964 F. C. HOLMES Nov. 1, 1966COIL REEL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 INVENTOR. Maw

WM 5% 5 v 177 TOR/V1775 United States Patent f 3,282,518 COIL REEL FrankC. Holmes, Trumbull, Conn, assignor to The US. Baird Corporation,Stratford, (102111., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Dec. 11, 1964,Ser. No. 417,709 11 Claims. (Cl. 242-54) This invention relates to acoil reel and, more particularly, to such a reel having automatic payoff features.

Wire which is supplied to Wire forming machines is customarily fed fromspools or coils. It has been customary in the past to place such coilson freely rotating supports in order that the forming machine could pulloff wire as required. Under certain circumstances, however, a number ofdifficulties arise when using this type of pay of1 arrangement. Forexample, a full coil of wire is quite heavy and considerable force maybe needed to overcome its inertia. This creates a serious problem whenhandling small diameter wire as the forces which are exerted on the wiremay be sufiiciently great to cause kinking or other deformation, thusaltering the physical properties of the wire and detracting from theuniformity of the part being produced. This may have deleterious effectson the coating of wire and may completely alter the designed loadcapacity of springs which are formed from such wire. The forcesmentioned frequently impose such loads that the layers of wire areshifted, causing tangling of the wire, necessitating shutdown of themachine to correct the problem. In some cases, it is cheaper to scrap abadly tangled bundle of wire than attempt to salvage it.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention toprovide a coil reel having an automatic motor driven pay off mechanismthat will provide a free length of wire from which the feed mechanismcan draw its requirements without imposing any load upon the wire coil.Other objects are to provide such a reel wherein the automatic pay offmechanism may be operated continuously, intermittently, or completelydispensed with as desired; to provide a motor driven coil reel havingeasily adjustable speed variation; and to provide a reel which is easilyportable, even when supporting heavy coils of wire.

Other objects, features and advantages will be more apparent from thefollowing description, the appended claims, and the figures of theattached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a coil reel in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the reel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the reel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional 'view taken the line 7-7 of FIG.3; and

FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic diagram of the motor wiring for thecoil reel of this invention.

The objects of the present invention are achieved by along along alongalong means of a reel including a base, a rotatable tray for supportingthe wire coil, and a variable speed drive for rotating the tray at aselected speed.

With more particular reference to the drawings, there "ice isillustrated a circular base 10 which is mounted on casters 12 for easyportability. The base 10 includes a hub supporting therein a verticalpost 14 which is adjustable as to height by means of set screws 16. Anadjustable collar 18 is also mounted on the post 14 by means of setscrew 19 and an angled support arm 20 is welded thereto. The support arm20 is a T iron which is bent horizontally at its outer extremity to forma support surface 22. On the upper end of post 14 is mounted a pivotshaft support block 24. Support block 24 comprises a cylindrical bodywhich is drilled at its lower end to receive the upper end of post 14and includes a horizontal rectangular plate 26 at its upper end. Thesupport block 24 also includes a horizontally disposed opening whichsupports one end of a pivot shaft 28 (FIG. 4). The pivot shaft 28 isfixed relative to the support block 24 by means of a dowel pin 30 whichextends through both members.

Secured to the support surface 22 of support arm 20 by means of bolts 32are a bracket 34 and an adjusting shaft guide 36. Adjusting shaft guide36 includes mounting flanges 38 and a horizontal generally cylindricalbody portion which defines an unthreaded adjusting shaft opening 36atherethrough. The bracket 34 is a block of rectangular cross sectionwhich defines a threaded adjusting shaft guide opening 34a which isaligned with adjusting shaft opening 36a. The bracket 34 also includes ahorizontal pivot shaft support opening 34b aligned to receive the end ofthe pivot shaft 28. The threaded end of pivot shaft 28 extends throughthis opening and is secured by a pair of nuts 40. The upper end ofbracket 34 is drilled to receive the lower end of a vertically extendingreel shaft 42. Mounted against opposite sides of bracket 34 are a righthand support member 44 and a left hand support member 46. Each supportmember includes a slotted base plate (44a, 46a) which is mounted againstthe bracket 34 by means of bolts 48 and a horizontal extending arm (44b,46b) which is formed from an angle iron and supports at its outer endinverted caster 50.

Encircling the pivot shaft 28 is a tubular drive shaft 52 having alength of key stock 54 affixed along its length by means of screws 56.At each end of the drive shaft 52 and abutting against the support block24 and bracket 34, respectively, there is positioned a thrust washer 58.Mounted on the left end of drive shaft 52 as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, andkeyed thereto by key stock 54, is a two diameter pulley 60. A frictionwheel 62 having a friction material 63 on its periphery is keyed onshaft 52 and is longitudinally slidable relative to the shaft. Thefriction wheel 62 includes an axially extending hub portion 62a. Anadjusting yoke 64 having a central opening 64a is fitted against thefriction wheel 62 with the central opening encircling hub 62a. The yoke64 includes a radially extending portion which defines an olfset opening6412 which is aligned with the adjusting shaft guide opening 34a inbracket 34, and shaft opening 36a in adjusting shaft guide 36. Thefriction wheel 62 is secured to yoke 64 by means of an annular retainer66 which is also keyed to drive shaft 52 and is screwed to the hub 62aby means of screws 68. An adjusting shaft 70, which is threadedthroughout substantially its entire length, extends through guideopening 34a and is threaded into the shaft opening 36a of adjustingshaft guide 36. At its left end, as viewed in FIG. 4, the adjustingshaft 71) is necked down to provide an unthreaded pin portion 70a whichextends through the offset. opening 64b of adjusting yoke 64. Theshoulder formed at the point of reduced diameter of the adjusting shaft'78 is spaced from the adjusting yoke 64 by means of a washer 72. Acollar 74 is secured to the pin portion 70a of shaft 78 on the side ofyoke 64 opposite washer 72 by means of a spring pin (not shown). At itsright end, adjusting shaft 7%) is provided with a crank handle 73.

Mounted on top of the reel shaft 42 is a drum reel comprising a discshaped tray 76 having an annular rim 78 and a slightly conical upwardlyextending hub 80. Hub 89 is of sheet metal and includes a fiat uppersurface 88a and a flat lower surface 8812 which is secured to the tray76 by means of bolts 82. A section of steel tubing 84 extends verticallythrough hub 88 and is permanently secured in the drum reel assembly bywelding or soldering. A pair of bushings 86, provided with suitable oilgrooves, are mounted in the tubing 84, one at its extreme lower end andthe other spaced from the upper end of the tubing. The upper end oftubing 84 is closed by a plug 88 which is welded therein and drilled andtapped to receive an adjusting screw 90. A jam nut 92 is employed toposition the adjusting screw.

The reel of this invention is driven by means of the geared head motor94 which is mounted on a motor plate 96 which, in turn, is secured tothe post 14 by means of set screws 98. The two diameter sheave 100 isconnected with the two diameter pulley 60 by means of a V belt 102.

A switch box 104 is mounted on the rectangular plate.

26 atop pivot shaft support block 24 by means of screws which extendthrough its feet 106 into the rectangular plate. The switch box 104includes a lower housing 108 and an upper cylindrical bushing 110. Theinner back surface of housing 108 includes a boss and an openingtherethrough rotatably supporting a switch shaft 112 upon which ismounted a mercury switch 114 within housing 108. Housing 108 is closedby a suitable cover 116. Mounted on the back end of switch shaft 112,where it protrudes from the box 108, is a V shaped switching fork 118,most clearly illustrated in FIG. 6. Mounted in each arm of switchingfork 118 is a screw 120a, 12%. The screws extend inwardly of the V andare provided with jam nuts for fixing their position. Extending throughthe bushing 110 is a switching rod 122. An elongated switching arm 124is mounted on one end of switching rod 122 and is normally positionedbetween the ends of bolts 120a, 1205. On the opposite end of theswitching rod 122 there is secured an adjusting block 126. Adjustingblock 126 includes an opening 126a, transverse to the shaft 122 andabove it, through which is mounted a control rod 128. Adjusting block126 is split and a bolt 130 permits the control rod to be longitudinallypositioned and then tightly gripped therein. The control rod 128 is bentas shown in FIG. 2, a cotter pin 132 is mounted in one end, and acounterweight 134 is adjustably positioned along the other end by meansof a thumb screw 136.

The coil reel of this invention may be operated either as a simplerotatable wire holder or it may be motor driven. Furthermore, whenmotor-driven it may be operated in either of two modes, with simplecontinuous rotation or intermittently.

In order to operate the coil reel as a simple rotatable wire holder, itis merely necessary to release the jam nut 92 and advance the adjustingscrew 90 (see FIG. 1) until it contacts the top of the reel shaft 42.Continued advancement of screw 90 will then lift the hub 81) and tray 76will move out of contact with casters and friction wheel 62. A coil ofwire W may then be placed on the tray 76 and paid off in the usualfashion, the tray being freely rotatable.

To operate the reel to feed wire at a continuous speed, the adjustingscrew 90 is retracted to its original position so that tray 76 restsupon casters 50 and friction wheel 62. The control rod 128 is eitherremoved or the wire is paid off in a direction such that it will notcome into contact with the control rod. Motor 94- is then switched onand motor sheave 1410 will begin to rotate, driving pulley 60 throughfeed belt 102. As pulley 60 revolves, it will, in turn, rotate thetubular drive shaft 52 which will rotate friction wheel 62 which iskeyed thereto. As friction wheel 62 rotates, it will frictionally drivetray 76 at a speed inversely proportional to the distance of thefriction wheel 62 from the center of the tray. As the central opening64:: in adjusting yoke 64 is circular, this yoke will not rotate butwill remain fixed in position while the hub 62a of friction wheel 62rotates therein. Extremely precise adjustment of the speed of tray 76may now be achieved in order to match the wire feed requirements of themachine utilizing the Wire. This is accomplished by loosening jam nut 71and turning crank handle 73 to screw adjusting shaft 70 into or out ofadjusting shaft guide 34. As the yoke 64 is rotatably fixed on the pinend 70a of adjusting shaft 70, it will move axially back and forth alongthe drive shaft 52, thereby changing the radial location of frictionwheel 62 relative to the tray 76. Movement of wheel 62 outwardly fromthe center of tray 76 will decrease the speed of the tray while movingwheel 62 inwardly will increase the speed. In addition to this fineadjustment of speed, a coarse adjustment is also available in that theV-belt 102 may be moved to the remaining portions of the two-diameterpulley 60 and motor sheave 168.

When larger diameter wire is to be paid olf from the coil reel of theinvention, use may be made of the tension on the wire to cause the reelto operate intermittently only when required. This is accomplished bymeans of the control rod 128 which is positioned, as shown in thedrawings, with the Wire strand W passing over it to the machine to befed. A cotter pin 132 is positioned in the end of the control rod andthe wire passes through its eye as shown in FIG. 2. Assuming thatinsufficient wire has been paid out, the machine utilizing the wire willbegin to exert tension upwardly against the emerging strand of wire W.As this tension increases, the end of control rod 128 carrying thecotter pin is raised, aided by the force exerted by counterweight 134.The control rod 128 and the adjusting block 126 pivot together with theswitching rod 122 which is mounted through the bushing (FIG. 4). Theswitching arm 124 (FIG. 6) also rotates and contacts the screw b,tipping the switching fork 118 clockwise. As the switching fork rotates,it also rotates the switching shaft 112 thereby activating the mercuryswitch 114 contained in the housing 108 of switch box 104. Theelectrical schematic of FIG. 8 illustrates, in highly simplified form,the motor 94 and switch 114 connected in series across a power supply138. Activation of the mercury switch starts motor 94, which thereuponbegins to drive the reel, paying off Wire until the tension is relieved,the cotter pin end of the control rod lowers and switch 114 opens. Itwill be noted that the degree of tension required to operate the reel isadjustable by changing the position of counterweight 134 and also bychanging the position of control rod 128 within the adjusting block 126.It will also be noted that the switching mechanism of FIG. 6 issymmetrical, so that it is operable regardless of the direction ofrotation of the motor 94 and the reel tray 76. Accordingly, the reel ofthe invention is capable of feeding wire from coils having either aright-hand or a left-hand wind.

The intermittent operation of the reel has been described as initiatedby wire tension exerting an upward force against the cotter pin carryingend of control rod 128. This is the preferred form of operation due tothe increased sensitivity resulting from the additive action ofcounterweight 134. However, the reel may also be operated by theincreasing wire tension exerting a downward force on the cotter pincarrying end of control rod 128 by making minor adjustments in theapparatus.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that all of theobjectives which have been set forth above are attained with thisinvention. It will also be apparent that a number of variations andmodifications may be made in the invention without departing from itsspirit and scope. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to beconstrued as illustrative only, rather than limiting. This invention islimited only by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A coil reel which comprises: support means; a substantially verticalshaft having a lower first end and an upper second end, and mounted onsaid support means at said first end; .a coil support tray rotatablymounted about said vertical shaft and including a central hub portionencircling said vertical shaft; a drive wheel mounted below said trayand in frictional engagement therewith, said drive wheel being rotatablein a plane substantially perpendicular to tlhe radius of rotation ofsaid tray at the point of contact between said drive wheel and saidtray; positioning means for selectively positioning said drive wheelalong said radius of rotation; drive means arranged to drive said drivewheel and rotate said tray; and screw means positioned in said hub meansfor vertical downward advancement against the upper second end of saidvertical shaft to lift said hub portion and disengage said tray fromsaid drive wheel.

2. The reel of claim 1 wherein said positioning means comprises: arotatable drive shaft supporting said drive wheel; keying meansintermediate said drive shaft and drive wheel to secure said wheel tosaid drive shaft to rot-ate jointly therewitlh but be selectivelyslidable axially therealon'g; and means for selectively axially slidingsaid drive wheel relative to said drive shaft.

3. The reel of claim 2 wherein said drive wheel includes a circular hubsurrounding said drive shaft and said sliding means comprises: a yokerotatably mounted on said hub and having a radially extending portionextending outwardly therefrom; and adjusting shaft means mounted betweensaid support means and said radially extending portion to selectivelyaxially position said yoke and drive wheel along said drive shaft.

4. A coil reel which comprises: support means; a substantially verticalshaft having a lower first end and an upper second end and mounted onsaid support means at said first end; a coil support tray rotatablymounted about said vertical shaft and including a central hub portionencircling said vertical shaft; a drive wheel mounted below said trayand in frictional engagement therewith, said drive wheel being rotatablein a plane substantially perpendicular to the radius of rotation of saidtray at the point of contact between said drive wheel and said tray;positioning means for selectively positioning said drive w heel alongsaid radius of rotation; an electric motor arranged to drive said drivewheel and rotate said tray; switch means connected to control saidelectric motor; and switch actuating means responsive to the tension ofwire paying off of said reel.

5. The reel of claim 4 wherein said switcth actuating means comprises:.a pivot bushing; a switching rod rotatably mounted in said pivotbushing; a cont-r01 rod secured to said switching rod and extendingtransversely thereof, one end of said control rod being positioned tocontact a wire strand paying off of said tray; and a switching armsecured to said switching rod to rotate therewith to actuate said switchmeans.

6. The reel of claim 5 wherein said switch means further comprises: aV-shaped switching fork pivotally mounted and including first and secondlimit arms positioned on either side of said switching arm; stop meansmounted on each of said limit arms and extending inwardly of the V ofsaid fork toward said switching arm, whereby said fork is pivoted bymovement of said switching arm; and a mercury switch mounted to rotatewith said fork.

7. A coil reel which comprises: a base including a vertical postextending upwardly therefrom; a support arm mounted on said base at afirst end and extending outwardly therefrom, a second end of said armbeing laterally spaced from said post; a bracket member mounted on thesecond end of said arm; a vertical reel shaft mounted on said bracketmember and extending upwardly therefrom; a coil supporting traypositioned in .a substantially horizontal plane for rotation about saidreel shaft; a support block mounted on said vertical post, horizontallyspaced from said bracket member; a horizontally disposed drive shaftrotatably supported between said support block and said bracket member;motor means mounted on said base in driving relationship to said driveshaft; .a friction wheel mounted on said drive shaft for rotationtherewith but axially slidable therealong, the periphery of said wheelbeing frictionally engageable with the lower surface of said tray; andspeed adjusting means adapted to slide said friction wheel to a selectedposition along said drive shaft.

8. The reel of claim 7 wherein said speed adjusting means comprises: aninternally threaded adjusting shaft guide mounted on the second end ofsaid arm adjacent said bracket member; a yoke mounted on said frictionwheel, axially slidable therewith but rotatable relative thereto; athreaded adjusting shaft extending through said adjusting shaft guideand including a first end rotatably mounted in said yoke and a secondend; and means mounted on said second end for rotating said adjustingshaft 'to axially slide said yoke and friction wheel along said driveshaft.

9. The reel of claim 7 wherein said bracket member includes invertedcaster means rotatably supporting said tray.

10. The reel of claim 7 wherein said tray includes a central hubsurrounding said reel shaft, said hub including a downwardly extendingadjusting screw positioned for advancement against the upper end of saidreel shaft to lift said tray out of engagement with said friction wheel.

11. A coil reel which comprises: a base including a vertical postextending upwardly therefrom; a support arm mounted on said base at afirst end and extending outwardly therefrom, .a second end of said armbeing laterally spaced from said post; a bracket member mounted on thesecond end of said arm and including inverted caste-r means; a verticalreel shaft mounted on said bracket member and extending upwardlytherefrom; a coil supporting tray positioned in a substantiallyhorizontal plane for rotation against said caster means about said reelshaft and including a central hub surrounding said reel shaft; adownwardly extending adjusting screw positioned in the end of said hubfor advancement against the upper end of said reel shaft to selectivelyposition said tray between a raised and a lowered position; a supportblock mounted on said vertical post, horizontally spaced from saidbracket member; a horizontally disposed drive shaft rotatably supportedbetween said support block and said bracket member; electric motor meansmounted on said base in driving relationship to said drive shaft; afriction wheel mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith butaxially slidalble therealong, the periphery of said wheel beingfriotionally engageable with the lower surface of said tray when saidtray is in its lowered position; an internally threaded adjusting shaftguide mounted on the second end of said arm adjacent said bracketmember; a yoke mounted on said friction wheel, axially slidablethere-with but rotatable relative thereto; a threaded speed adjustingshaft extending through said adjusting shaft guide and including a firstend rotatably mounted in said yoke and a second end; means mounted onsaid second end for rotating said speed adjusting shaft to axially slidesaid yoke and friction wheel along said drive shaft; a pivot bushingmounted on said support block; a switching rod rotatably mounted in saidpivot bushing;

a control rod secured to said switching rod and extending transverselythereof, one end of said control rod being positioned to contact a wirestrand paying off of said tray; a switching arm secured to saidswitching rod to rotate therewith to actuate said switch means; aV-shaped switching fork pivotally mounted on said support block andincluding first and second generally upwardly extending limit armspositioned on either side of said switching arm; stop means mounted ineach of said limit arms and extending inwardly of the V of said forktoward said switohing arm, whereby said fork is pivoted by movement ofsaid switching arm; and a motorcontrolling switch mounted for actuationby said fork.

References Cited by the Examiner FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Examiner.

1. A COIL REEL WHICH COMPRISES; SUPPORT MEANS; A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALSHAFT HAVING A LOWER FIRST END AND AN UPPER SECOND END, AND MOUNTED ONSAID SUPPORT MEANS AT SAID FIRST END; A COIL SUPPORT TRAY ROTATABLYMOUNTED ABOUT SAID VERTICAL SHAFT AND INCLUDING A CENTRAL HUB PORTIONENCIRCLING SAID VERTICAL SHAFT; A DRIVE ENGAGEMENT MOUNTED BELOW SAIDTRAY AND IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID DRIVE WHEEL BEINGROTATABLE IN A PLANE SUB ATANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RADIUS OFROTATION OF SAID TRAY AT THE POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN SAID DRIVE WHEELAND SAID TRAY; POSITIONING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY POSIITONING SAID DRIVEWHEEL ALONG SAID RADIUS OF ROTATION; DRIVE MEANS ARRANGED TO DRIVE SAIDDRIVE WHEEL AND ROTATE SAID TRAY; A SCREW MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID HUBMEANS FOR VERTICAL DOWNWARD ADVANCEMENT AGAINST THE UPPER SECOND END OFSAID VERTICAL SHAFT TO LIFT AID HUB PORTION AND DISENGAGE SAID TRAY FROMSAID DRIVE WHEEL.